Is Canada a safe country?

Overall safety is a crucial factor when choosing a place to live. Researching the security offered by a new country is essential when considering starting an immigration process, in the same way that anyone would do before traveling to a new destination; in this context Canada is widely recognized as one of the safest countries in the world. That is why many foreigners decide to embark on new horizons in this region of North America.

In this article, we will discuss five aspects that make Canada a safe nation. These are listed below:

1. Low crime rate.
2. Protection and safety at work.
3. Access to housing.
4. The guarantee of public health and emergency medical services.
5. Optimal quality of life.

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Low crime rate

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Some statistical data on safety in Canada

According to the U.S. News Best Countries 2021 report, Canada scored 96.7 out of 100 for safety, placing it significantly above the United States (10.8) and the United Kingdom (55.4). In fact, Canada shares the top position in the index along with Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. Canada's ranking is 14 places above the United Kingdom and 34 places above the United States.

In this link, you can find other interesting data favoring the maple leaf country, Canada #2 in Overall Rankings #3 out of 85 in 2022.

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The crime rate in Canada was 5.85 criminal incidents reported to police per 100,000 population in 2022, this compared to the United States which recorded approximately 4000% more homicides in the same period.

The following is a comparison between Canada and the United States, its closest country geographically and of Anglo-Saxon culture. From the information reported by the website Datamacros, in Canada there has been a slight increase in the homicide rate, standing at 2.07% in 2021 from 2% in 2020, however, this country is still below the crime rate reported by the United States, which presented a homicide rate that stood at 6.81 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021 from 6.42 in 2020. You can read more revealing statistics about both countries in the following articles: Homicide rate in Canada 2021 and Homicide rate in the United States 2021.

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Occupational safety and security

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Canada maintains strict regulations to protect workers in their places of employment. All companies in the country must ensure the health and safety of employees while they are performing their jobs. This covers the country's entire workforce, including temporary foreign workers, and for this group there is a comprehensive guide detailing the rights they have regarding their employment contract, health care guarantees, changing employers, reporting workplace abuse, etc. Learn more about how your rights are protected in Canada.

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Access to housing

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Housing affordability is a crucial factor in assessing the overall safety of a nation. Fortunately, Canada has one of the most outstanding housing systems in the world. Nearly 80% of residents have been able to meet their housing needs in the market, and investments in affordable housing programs are on the rise. 

The Canadian government has been pushing for an increasingly possible model for its population, in the 2021 federal budget, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, allocated $2.5 billion for affordable housing, in 2022 he included in the federal budget important elements such as doubling new housing starts over the next decade, helping Canadians buy their first home through the tax-exempt First Home Savings Account and doubling the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, among other actions. In this year 2023, the Canadian government implemented the law prohibiting non-resident aliens from buying homes for two years, an effort that will help stabilize the housing market and ensure Canadians have more access to homeownership. The new law, which was originally introduced in last April's budget, establishes a $10,000 fine for non-Canadian citizens and non-permanent residents who purchase residential property.

 Through these initiatives, the government's goal is to provide affordable, inclusive and sustainable homes. You can expand on this valuable information by reading more about Canada's Federal Budget 2023 and the Prohibiting Foreigners from Buying Homes Act.

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The guarantee in public health and emergency medical services

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Importantly, all Canadians, including those with permanent resident status, have access to family physicians and hospital services free of charge throughout the country. Canada's national health care plan guarantees high-quality health care for all Canadians, regardless of location or income; in fact, for decades, the state's principle of universal coverage for health care services has been based on need, rather than ability to pay. The latter is made possible by efficient management of tax revenues, which are allocated to various public services, including health care.

The federal government manages the health care system in Canada, however, the Canada Health Act establishes criteria and conditions for health insurance plans that must be met by the provinces and territories, in consultation with their respective colleges or groups of physicians, to determine which services are medically necessary for health insurance purposes. 

Currently, there have been improvements in the Canadian healthcare system, and this is reflected in aspects such as primary care, increasingly focused on 24-hour medical assistance; also the use of eHealth as a boost to electronic health technologies, through the use of electronic medical records and the application of telehealth and the reduction in waiting times during the coordination of the entire healthcare process.

In this official government link, you can find more information about the health care system in Canada.

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Optimal quality of life

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A good quality of life generates, unquestionably, the perception of personal security, this not only refers to the physical and emotional integrity of an individual, it also has to do with the opportunities for growth in the different aspects of life, however, for this appreciation of well-being to be complete, it is important to consider how a citizen feels in his social environment, which entails the feeling of peace and tranquility when going out every day to perform the tasks of any person, from going to school, to work or even lead a more peaceful life at home. 

A recent 2020 survey, conducted in Canada, revealed that over time 83% of participants expressed feeling safe and at ease walking alone in their neighborhoods at night. All this is possible because the country's political, social and economic system favors the well-being of its citizens, so much so that it can even accommodate the foreign population that decides to immigrate to Canada and perceives a tangible reality of comfort and overall satisfaction.

For this reason, this wonderful country, with its high standards recognized worldwide for its quality of life, its welcoming asylum policies and services and its ambitious growth objectives can only provide the necessary confidence for its natives and immigrants to feel safe in it. So, going back to the initial question and after having commented on several positive aspects of the country, we can only affirm that Canada is a safe country.

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If you are thinking of living in Canada, we invite you to learn a little more about this country full of opportunities and start defining your ideal immigration plan. Visit our website Immilandcanada.com and schedule an appointment with a regulated consultant who can guide you from the beginning.

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With love,

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Immiland

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